Under the PoleFrom Alaskato Polynesia

From AlaskaTo Polynesia

July 2018

8

The Under The Pole III expedition has reached a new milestone: Ghislain Bardout and part of the crew have departed Sitka for Hawaii. The crossing, which took about 20 days, proved to be difficult due to storms and violent winds. Fortunately, in barely 48 hours, the WHY went from arctic cold to tropical weather. The stunning contrast certainly came at the right moment!

After arriving in Hawaii, the crew took the opportunity to make the necessary repairs, but most of all, to enjoy their first warm-water dives. This was the first chance to test the equipment and to appreciate unique flora and fauna they had never seen before. Before departing for Polynesia,<br />
Emmanuelle and Ghislain shared their experience with Richard Pyle a marine biologist and pioneer of deep-sea diving with rebreathers.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In Tahiti, Emmanuelle in the company of her two sons Robin and Tom, and Camille their nanny,<br />
prepared for the ship’s next arrival and organized the rest of the expedition. In the meantime her husband Ghislain headed to Concarneau to perform several tests on the “Capsule”. This underwater habitat is reaching its final stages of development. Once the testing is completed, Ghislain will return to French Polynesia, where the preparations will continue.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
All the crew’s divers will be specially trained in how to use closed circuit rebreathers by Aldo Ferruci, a specialist in the matter. This training is vital as in August, a first study on deep-water coral will begin, followed by a second study on sharks in the fall.